Inadequate antigen presentation in humans results in the failure of human immune system to control and clear many pathogenic infections and malignant cell growth. Successful therapeutic vaccines and immunotherapies for chronic infection and cancer rely on the development of new approaches for efficient antigen presentation to induce a vigorous immune response which is capable of controlling and clearing the offensive antigens.
The ability of T cells to recognize an antigen is dependent on association of the antigen with either MHC Class I (MHC-I) or Class II (MCH-II) proteins. For example, cytotoxic T cells respond to an antigen in association with MHC-I proteins. Thus, a cytotoxic T cell that kills a virus-infected cell will not kill a cell infected with the same virus if the cell does not also express the appropriate MHC-I protein. Helper T cells recognize MHC-II proteins. Helper T cell activity depends in general on both the recognition of the antigen on antigen presenting cells and the presence on these cells of “self” MHC-II proteins. This requirement to recognize an antigen in association with a self-MHC protein is called MHC restriction. MHC-I proteins are found on the surface of virtually all nucleated cells. MHC-II proteins are found on the surface of certain cells including macrophages, B cells, and dendritic cells of the spleen and Langerhans cells of the skin.
A crucial step in mounting an immune response in mammals, is the activation of CD4+ helper T-cells that recognize major histocompatibility complexes (MHC)-II restricted exogenous antigens. These antigens are captured and processed in the cellular endosomal pathway in antigen presenting cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs) (Zajac et al., 1998; Bona et al., 1998; Kalams et al., 1998; Mellman et al., 1998; Banchereau et al., 1998). In the endosome and lysosome, the antigen is processed into small antigenic peptides that are presented onto the MHC-II in the Golgi compartment to form an antigen-MHC-II complex. This complex is expressed on the cell surface, which expression induces the activation of CD4+ T cells.
Other crucial events in the induction of an effective immune response in an animal involve the activation of CD8+ T-cells and B cells. CD8+ cells are activated when the desired protein is routed through the cell in such a manner so as to be presented on the cell surface as processed proteins, which are complexed with MHC-I antigens. B cells can interact with the antigen via their surface immunoglobulins (IgM and IgD) without the need for MHC proteins. However, the activation of the CD4+ T-cells stimulates all arms of the immune system. Upon activation, CD4+ T-cells (helper T cells) produce interleukins. These interleukins help activate the other arms of the immune system. For example, helper T cells produce interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-5 (IL-S), which help B cells produce antibodies; interleukin-2 (IL-2), which activates CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells; and gamma interferon, which activates macrophages.
Since helper T-cells that recognize MHC-II restricted antigens play a central role in the activation and clonal expansion of cytotoxic T-cells, macrophages, natural killer cells and B cells, the initial event of activating the helper T cells in response to an antigen is crucial for the induction of an effective immune response directed against that antigen. Attempts to stimulate helper T-cell activation using a sequence derived from the lysosomal transmembrane proteins have been reported (Wu, 1995). However, these attempts did not result in the induction of effective immune responses with respect to CD8+ T-cells and B cells in the mammals being tested.
Thus, there is a long felt need in the art for efficient and directed means of eliciting an immune response for the treatment of diseases in mammals. The present invention satisfies this need.